She watched it for a moment. It still wore part of a pair of jeans. Shirtless, it had deep scratches and bite marks on its chest and arms. In some places pieces of flesh had been gouged out while in others places the skin and muscle had been torn away. The creature’s lips were circular like a lamprey eel’s. They constantly moved, puckering and relaxing, as if it couldn’t control the movement. Its eyes glowed a reddish-yellow, and she realized it was staring at the camera as if it knew they were watching it. “That’s the one that attacked Susan.”
“How many others did you see?”
“At least a dozen or more.”
“Can you turn off the dock lights from here.?”
Grace brought up the security program and typed in a command. The lights blinked off. “Let’s hope your uncle sends help by morning so we can get out of here.”
“I don’t know, Ms. Walker, from what Megan said it might take a while before he can do that.”
“We’ll see, but for now we’re in a secure building. We have food and water, and a TV.” She rolled the chair over to a cabinet, opened the doors and picked up a remote control. Using it she powered on the TV and tuned it to a major news station.
A well-known reporter appeared on the screen. Pale and scared she continuously glanced around her as she reported in a high-pitched voice. Behind her people ran while others were attacked by the same creatures they’d seen on the campus. Blood stained the street, the people and the creatures. A banner ran across the bottom of the screen advising people to stay in their homes and to lock their doors and windows.
“Look.” Luke pointed to a blood-covered man who staggered to his feet then ran toward the reporter. “They just attacked him and he’s already one of them.”
The man lunged at the reporter, knocking her to the ground and biting her neck. The cameraman set the camera on the ground and ran to help the reporter. It continued to broadcast as he was mobbed by a swarm of the creatures.
Grace watched for several more minutes then stood up. “Okay, let’s keep moving. All the cadets need to know how to get into this room as well as what I’m going to show you next.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Luke said.
She moved to the corner. “Watch.” She placed her feet on two floor tiles and pressed on the wall. Another concealed door opened to a three-foot wide passage. It went back fifty feet, ending in a vertical passage with a ladder attached to one wall. “This is the access to the roof. The hatch at the top can only be opened from the inside and it’s disguised as a vent. Cameras show the entire roof. If we ever need to go up there we can be sure it's clear first.” She ended by telling him the key code.
“How thick are these walls?” Luke asked.
“Six feet thick around the lower floor and they extend six feet above ground. The walls on the upper level are two-foot thick reinforced concrete.” Grace moved to the wall on the other side of the ladder. Reaching down she pressed latches on the back of the first and third rungs. Another concealed door opened and a line of dim lights lit up a long, eight-foot-wide tunnel. “This opens a quarter mile beyond the campus wall. The hatch can only be opened from inside and there are cameras hidden in the trees so we can see if the area is clear.” She pointed to the ceiling. The center six feet was flat but each upper corner had a short diagonal wall that ran from the ceiling to the wall about a foot down. “I’ll tell you about those in a few minutes.” She closed the door, and they returned to the security room. “Get Mark. I’ll show the two of you the rest of the shelter and then he can monitor the cameras and television. We also need to get the radios working and begin a log of the information we gather.”
He left to get him and she watched the news as more scenes of horror were shown from all over the country. By the time they returned she knew for sure that they were in extreme danger and she couldn’t help but wonder if they were already on their own. Chicago was hundreds of miles away but the infection had already reached Colorado, and many other cities.
Luke did a quick overview of the system and showed Mark the way to the roof and the tunnel. They returned and Mark watched the news while Luke secured the passage.
Grace beckoned them to follow her. In the hallway, she opened another door. “This is the battery room for the solar panels on the roof. The system is set up to work automatically if we lose public power. First the solar system will turn on and keep us going for up to six days depending on how conservative we use it. If it's cloudy and they can’t charge, then a generator will automatically take over. Several panels and a generator and propane tank behind the faculty garage supply energy to the upper level. She smiled. “A more powerful generator is buried in a sound proof room a hundred feet from us. The fuel tanks that feed it are buried outside the wall. They hold enough fuel for two years—longer if we conserve it. The wiring for the generator and the supply lines for water and propane are located inside the escape tunnel in the upper corners. They can’t be tampered with by anyone on the inside or outside.”
“Like Mr. Edgar or Mr. Rogers,” Luke said.
“Exactly.” Grace led them to the back corner. “This is the second secret between the three of us for now.” She pressed on a corner of a shelf then stepped on a tile twice. A hidden door swung open revealing a large armory. “I know you’ve been trained to use these weapons but they’re for emergency use only.”
“I’d say this is an emergency,” Luke said.
“Not unless we believe one of those things is going to get in here.”
He and Mark walked around the perimeter of the room, examining the rifles, handguns, extra magazines and ammo. There were stacked boxes of night vision goggles and scopes for the rifles as well as headsets and extra batteries with chargers. A rack across one wall held different patterns of cammies with rows of boots below them. Several types of bows hung on another wall along with a massive supply of arrows. A long table took up the center of the room. “Now I know for sure that this is a bunker but why and how was this done?”
“When enrollments fell off seven years ago, they hired Charles Manning to update the campus. His son, Kyle, was a junior then. Mr. Manning threatened to remove him and tell his friends why if this shelter wasn’t included.” She shrugged. “For once the Edgars were backed into a corner and had to give in, but Mr. Manning included the armory, the security room, and the escape tunnel without the Edgars’ knowledge.”
Luke looked around. “The Edgar Military Academy has a reputation for austerity. I bet it nearly killed them to spend this much money.”
“Yes, it was actually very enjoyable watching them squirm,” Grace said. “The building is also a huge faraday cage and self-sustaining. That’s why the walls are so thick. Only the solar panels on the roof are vulnerable to an EMP or CME, and there are extra panels stored over there in the corner.” She led them out and closed the concealed door then returned to the hallway. She pushed another door open. “Medical. All the good stuff is locked up tight.”
Luke and Mark glanced in then caught up to her as she returned to the security room. “How do you know about all this stuff?” Luke asked, then stammered, “I mean, I know you’re in charge of the kitchen, but you never struck me as a prepper.”
“I wasn’t until Mr. Manning turned me into one. He trusted me because his brother is a Marine and he knew my dad.” She grinned. “He figured that meant I’d been raised right. Anyway, he wanted his son and the other cadets to be safe if something happened.”
“Like the blizzards that wipe out our electricity and strand us for weeks at a time in the winter,” Mark said.
Grace nodded. “Mr. Manning took an instant dislike to Rogers and he couldn’t believe he’d been hired to be the Security Director. He made me promise to try to try to take over the shelter in an emergency. He also promised to find me another job when the Edgars fired me.” She shrugged. “He taught me how to lock everyone out of the security system and the building, then gave me a stack of books to read on disaster preparedness. Every year on my vacat
ion he sends me to a training of some kind. All bills paid and always interesting locations. Nice and sunny and warm.”
“Sounds like he believed something worse than a blizzard might happen,” Luke said.
Grace avoided his eyes. She’d thought the same thing. In fact, she’d looked Mr. Manning up and had discovered he came from a family with a long history of military and political service. He also had a lot of connections.
Back in the security room Luke stood by one of the chairs offering it to Grace. “No, thanks, I need to check on the other cadets and then I’m going to bring them in here so we can discuss what’s happening. Please turn the volume down on the television before I return.”
“We need to make sure someone is in here watching the cameras, radios and television at all times.”
Mark took the other chair. “I’ll get the radios working.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your help.” Grace left them and wandered through the storage area, worried she’d left something undone. She ran through a mental list of tasks and decided everything was secure for the moment. In the dining hall she sat down and rested her hands on the table. “Have any of you been able to get a call through to your parents?”
Sherry held her phone up. “I got through to my mother. I told her where I was and she said my dad had already contacted her. He ordered me to get to the shelter and stay here. He’s Army.” She shrugged. “My mom wanted to talk to you, Ms. Walker, but the call dropped and I couldn’t get through again.”
“I’m just happy you got through the first time,” Grace said. “Anyone else get through?”
“No. The rest of us got messages to try again later and 9-1-1 is out of order,” John said.
“Try sending text messages,” Sherry said. “They’ll work when a call won’t.”
Grace gave them until twenty two hundred to send texts. She knew they usually hit the rack earlier than this and they were probably wearing down but they needed to talk before bed. When they put the phones down she stood up. “Please continue trying to get through as long as the system is working but right now grab a chair and come with me.”
In the security room, she sat down in the chair Luke offered her. The cadets arranged their chairs around her, but remained standing.
Luke stepped forward. “Ready, seats.”
The students sat down but their posture remained stiff.
“At ease,” Luke said, and they relaxed but remained quiet. All eyes were on Grace as they waited for her to speak. Their faces showed the trauma they’d experienced, but they also looked determined to fight and survive. They tried to keep their eyes on her but she caught several of them glancing at the television.
“Tonight we lost people we care about. We’ve seen creatures unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. I know you’re training to handle the unexpected but these creatures are way out of our experience. We need to discuss what’s happening and what we’re going to do so we need to have all the information available to do that.” She pointed the remote at the television and raised the volume.
More reports came in from all over the country. The virus was spreading, and the infected were multiplying and attacking people. The hospitals and first responders were being overrun and people were trying to flee the cities. In many places there were huge crowds of creatures pulling people from their cars or homes and killing them. Grace saw several of the cadets wiping away tears as they watched. When the reports began to repeat she lowered the volume.
“I know you’re worried about your families and friends. I also know the people who love you would want you to be safe. The school brochure includes information about this shelter. I believe that will give them hope that you are alive,” Grace said. “If any of you want to talk about your fears for your family or friends, I’m available to listen.”
Sherry raised her hand.
“Yes, Sherry,” Grace said.
Sherry stood up. “Ma’am, you know what my parents are like. My friends here are my family. Are we really safe?”
Grace nodded. “This building is probably one of the most secure places in the country right now.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” Sherry sat down again.
John raised his hand.
“Just a minute, John.” Grace motioned to Luke to follow her. In the hallway, she turned to him. “I know I’m the adult in the room and it’s better to maintain discipline and training at a time like this but I can’t do the military commands and level of conduct.”
“I understand, but Megan is only fifteen. Sherry is sixteen, John is seventeen and Mark, Neal and I are eighteen. I’m having a hard time dealing with what’s happened and I have the highest rank here. I’d like to be able to say I’m prepared for this but the truth is I’m not.”
Grace leaned against the wall. “How about this—I’m in charge but everyone calls me by my first name and I have the final say on every decision? You continue to conduct our meetings and that way you maintain a position of authority and the cadets continue to feel secure. We just need to get everyone through this until rescue arrives.”
Luke thought about it for a moment then nodded. “I can do that.”
They returned to the room and Grace said, “Okay, we have some new rules. First, all of you have permission to call me Grace. You don’t have to hold up your hand or stand before you speak to me. I do expect everyone to treat each other with respect and kindness, and no talking over each other. Luke is in charge of maintaining discipline and continuing your training but I have final say on all decisions. So, first question, does anyone have a problem with these new rules?”
She received a chorus of negatives. Smiling she pointed to John. “Okay, John, you were asking a question.”
“I was going to say that the shelter may be secure but how long can we stay here? Your car is here so I think we should get it and drive to the airport.”
“No,” Luke said. “Trying to fight our way to the car would expose us to the infection. Besides, there’s more to this shelter than you’ve seen. You know about the dorm rooms, showers, food, water, galley kitchen and dining area. We also have this security system and we can monitor the outside of the building and every area inside it with the exception of the sleeping dorms and showers. We also a television for now and several radio systems. The number one rule concerning the radios is we only monitor them—we don’t transmit. Understood?”
“If we lose electricity we’ll be in the dark. What will we do then?” John asked.
Luke had been leaning against a wall. Now he stood with confidence like the soldier he’d someday be. He opened the concealed door. “We have our water and energy supply secured and we have an escape route. You’ll each be shown the escape tunnel tomorrow but only Grace, Mark and I will have the codes to open the hatches.” He closed the door.
“Yes,” the five cadets said.
“We’re going to pair up and have two people in here at all times. That will give us three teams,” Luke said. “I’m a night owl so who wants to join me?”
“Me,” John said.
Good,” Luke said. “We’ll work in four hour shifts.”
“I can take a shift,” Grace said.
“No,” Luke said. “We need you to manage the bunker, the meals and the schedule.”
“I can do that and still take a shift in here. I’ll take noon to fifteen hundred,” Grace said, her voice determined.
“Then, Luke and I will take midnight to zero four hundred and fifteen hundred to eighteen hundred,” John said.
“I’ll pair up with Megan and teach her how to operate the radio,” Mark said. “We’ll take zero four hundred to zero eight hundred and eighteen hundred to twenty one hundred.”
“I’ll pair up with Sherry and we’ll take zero eight hundred to twelve hundred and twenty one hundred to midnight,” Neal said. “That covers all the hours.
“And, gives the six of you time together after lunch,” Grace said.
“Thank you, Grace,” Luke said. �
��We also need a schedule for exercising, cooking, and cleaning.”
“Megan and I will be on security duty at zero four hundred so one of us will wake everyone at zero five hundred with the exception of Luke and John,” Neal said.
Sherry spoke up. “I don’t think the girls should have to do all the cooking and dish washing.”
“I agree,” Megan said.
“I’ll make a menu to follow and a list of tasks that need to be done each day. Each team will take a turn helping me cook and clean the galley. Breakfast and supper will be hot meals. Lunch will be salads and sandwiches. Anyone who doesn’t know how to cook is going to learn,” Grace said. “If you’re not on galley duty or security then your team will take turns helping me keep the rest of the shelter clean.”
“This is going to get old fast,” Sherry said.
Grace secretly agreed but tried to encourage her as well as the others. “According to the television reports these creatures are already all over the country and they’re spreading fast. They’re extremely contagious and dangerous. There are games and books in the cabinets in the dining area for free time. I also have a stack of disaster preparedness books. You all need to read them and we’ll discuss them in case we ever need to abandon the shelter.”
“We have our phones so we can play games on them, too,” Megan said.
“No,” Luke said. “First, we need to download as much information as we can while we still have public utilities and the internet. Information and books on everything you can think of like gardening, preserving meat, medical treatments, building—.”
“Maps,” Neal said. “All roads, cities, everything including satellite views.
“Can we use the computers in here,” Sherry asked. “What are we going to save the information on?”
“I have two laptops in my office along with a printer and two cases of paper and extra ink cartridges,” Grace said. “We’ll move them down here tomorrow.”
Extinction Cycle (Kindle Worlds Novella): Resistance Page 3
